Annapurna Circuit Trek: Our Day-to-Day Itinerary and Expenses

The almost 300-kilometers Annapurna Circuit is challenging but rewarding trek. In 23-days, we trekked all the way from Besi Sahar to Landruck without a guide or porter or any tour agency. On average, we walked about 6-8 hours, crossing 4 different districts namely: Lamjung, Manang, Mustang and Myagdi, and experienced 4 different seasons covering a great sparse of geography. We got to witness people of varying tribes and ethnicity which differ along the trail in every 30km.

Read More: Everything You Need To Know To Trek Annapurna Circuit Independently

A summary of our day-by-day route: 19 April – 12 May 2018

Besi Sahar – Ngadi – Jagat – Bagarchhap – Chame – Upper Pisang – Manang – Acclimatization in Manang – Seeri Khadka – Tilicho Base Camp – Tilicho Lake – Seeri Khadka – Ledar – Thorong High Camp – Muktinath – Marpha – Kalopani – Tatopani – Ghorepani – one more day in Ghorepani – Gurjung – Dovan – Annapurna Base Camp – Chhomrong – Pokhara

Basically our only expenses in the mountains are accommodation, food and drinking water. Here’s a rough breakdown on how much two of us spent over the 23-days trek:

Accommodation: ~4,000 NPR (US$37)

Food: ~55,670 NPR (US$520)

Drinking Water: ~545 NPR (US$5)

Most of the days, we managed to bargain for free accommodation in exchange for having meals (dinner and breakfast) with the hosts, thus our budget were heavily spent more on food.

So, let’s get started!

Day 1: Kathmandu – Besi Sahar (820-meters) – Ngadi (890-meters)

We took a 6 a.m bus from Kathmandu’s Gongabu Bus Park to Besi Sahar (350 NPR/person) where the trek officially begins. The bus ride is supposed to be 6-hours but ended up the whole journey became 8-hours.

We had our first check-in at TIMS check post in Besi Sahar.

Since it was only mid-noon, we decided to start trekking instead of staying at Besi Sahar like most other trekkers. We managed to end our day before sunset after 3.5-hours to Ngadi (12-kilometers).

There is a ACA check post in Simpani.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: Hil-ton Guesthouse & Restaurant (Free)

Lunch:

Dal Baht: 300 NPR

Dinner:

Potato Momo: 250 NPR
Egg Fried Rice: 450 NPR
Small pot of tea: 240 NPR

Day 2: Ngadi (890-meters) – Bahundanda – Ghermu – Jagat (1,300-meters)

We learned to order breakfast after dinner and gave specific timing for the meal to be served. If not, be prepared to wait about 30-45 minutes as Nepalese prepare their meals from scratch. We started our trek by 8.30 a.m and the weather was fabulous!

It took us 2-hours to walk from Ngadi to Bahundanda (6.2-kilometers). We sweat a lot from climbing up the ridge and stairs ascending to 1,310-meters.

At the last lodge in Ghermu, the rainbow lodge, you got a choice to walk the upper trail (ascending path but beautiful) or lower trail (flat road but dusty) to Jagat. We chose the upper trail (red & white) which took us 3-hours to cover 5-kilometers of road.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: Tilicho Guesthouse (Free)

Breakfast:

Oat Porridge: 250 NPR
Omelette: 250 NPR
Big pot of Hot water: 240 NPR
1 x bottle of coke: 150 NPR

Dinner:

Dal Baht: 450 NPR
Veg Fried Potato: 350 NPR
Small pot of Hot Lemon: 350 NPR

Day 3: Jagat (1,300-meters) – Chamje – Tal – Dharapani – Bagarchhap (2,140-meters)

Today started with a 1.5-hours trek towards Chamje where there is a popular tea house facing the waterfall. There will be an ascend about 130-meters before reaching Chamje village, where you will see a sign leading to Tal.

Tal is 5-kilometers from Chamje which took us about 2.5-hours. Tal is also the first village on the trail where there’s safe water station.

From Tal to Dharapani is about 6.6-kilometers (3.5-hours). There is a check post in Dharapani. We then continued another 3-kilometers and end our day at Bagarchhap.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: Eco Holiday (Free)

Breakfast:

Apple Porridge: 300 NPR
Banana Muesli: 300 NPR
Small pot of Hot water: 150 NPR

Lunch:

Mushroom Soup: 260 NPR
Bottle of Coke: 205 NPR
2 x Safe Water: 80 NPR

Dinner:

Dal Baht: 470 NPR
Omelette: 230 NPR
Potato Soup: 280 NPR
Milk Tea: 80 NPR

Day 4: Bagarchhap (2,140-meters) – Danaqyu – Timang – Thanchowk – Koto – Chame (2,670m-meters)

From Bagarchhap to Danaqyu is a 20-minutes walk (1.7-kilometers), where you can re-fill your bottles at safe water station. After Danaqyu was a 2-hours with 350-meters steep climb to Timang (2,350-meters).

About 1-hour away (3.4-kilometers) from Timang, we passed by Thanchowk, a charming village where there are two ways to reach Chame: trek trail or road trail. Both path take about the same time of 2-hours.

Chame is a big bazaar compared to other villages. You can stock up snacks and medicines, or get new gears. We stayed at the end of the village opposite the bridge where it’s much quieter.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: New Tibet Hotel & Restaurant (Free)

Breakfast:

Apple Porridge: 330 NPR
Fried Potato: 300 NPR
Hot water x 2: 100 NPR

Lunch:

Veg Momo: 350 NPR
Bottle of coke: 250 NPR
2 x Safe Water: 90 NPR

Dinner:

Dal Baht: 550 NPR
Egg Curry: 450 NPR
Hot Lemon x 2: 180 NPR
Local Wine: 100 NPR

Day 5: Chame (2,670-meters) – Bhratang – Upper Pisang (3,300-meters)

It was an easy forest trail from Chame to Bhratang (2,800-meters): 6.3-kilometers, 2-hours.

There’s a choice of taking the upper or lower Pisang trail. Lower runs along the road and is much easier, while upper involves a steep 600-meters gain but is good for acclimating and is the more beautiful trek by far, offering magnificent views of the Annapurna peaks. We stayed at the highest lodge in Upper Pisang.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: Himalayan Hotel & Restaurant (Free)

Breakfast:

Boiled Potatoes: 300 NPR
Muesli with apples & milk: 300 NPR
Black Tea: 50 NPR
Hot water: 45 NPR

Lunch:

Chocolate Donut: 200 NPR
Onion Soup: 250 NPR
Masala Tea: 200 NPR

Dinner:

Dal Baht: 550 NPR
Egg Noodle Soup: 380 NPR
Hot Lemon x 2: 180 NPR

Day 6: Upper Pisang (3,300-meters) – Ghyaru – Ngawal – Manang (3,540-meters)

We aimed to cover 20-kilometres today. We decided to go straight to Manang via the villages of Gyaru and Ngawal. It was a continuous ascend till about 3,650-meters, and after Ngawal a slight declination towards Manang.

Ngawal is one of the oldest and the largest villages in the Nyeshyang region. Because of the war-ridden past, the village can be reached only after a steep uphill climb. We stopped here for lunch and contemplating if we still want to continue.

Knowing that from Ngawal to Manang is a relatively flat trail of 9.2-kilometres, we decided to just go for it. It was miserable; we were cold, hungry, tired and the sun was setting earlier than expected.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: Hotel Himalayan Singi (Free)

Breakfast:

Chocolate Pancake: 350 NPR
Pancake with Honey: 350 NPR
Small pot of Hot water: 200 NPR

Lunch:

Chicken Fried Noodle: 450 NPR
Veg Noodle Soup: 380 NPR

Dinner:

Chicken Noodle Soup x 2: 760 NPR
Hot Lemon: 90 NPR
Apple Tea: 90 NPR

Day 7: Acclimatization in Manang (3,540-meters)

It was a rest day in Manang for us to acclimate to the altitude. This is highly recommended as many people may start to feel the altitude sickness at this point. We slept in, did a short side trek up to Gangapurna Glacier Viewpoint, stock-up some food supplies and had a good meal. If you can afford to spend more time around, there are many beautiful lakes and caves to explore around Manang.

There is a free lecture everyday at 3 p.m at Manang’s clinic conducted by volunteered-doctors from around the globe. This lecture helps you to understand more about altitude sickness; symptoms, how to prevent, and what to do if you have it.

Accommodation: Hotel Himalayan Singi (Free)

Expenditures Breakdown:

Breakfast:

French Toast: 290 NPR
Cheese Toast: 260 NPR
Hot water x 2: 80 NPR

Lunch:

Honey Hot Lemon: 120 NPR
Seabuckthorn Juice: 120 NPR
Tuna Fried Rice: 400 NPR
Egg Burger: 550 NPR
Rosti: 300 NPR

Dinner:

Chicken Noodle Soup: 380 NPR
Minestrone Soup: 370 NPR

Day 8: Manang (3,540-meters) – Gunsang – Sheree Kharka (4,076-meters)

Today was our worst day on trail because we got so lost!

Our planned route was supposed to be Manang – Khangsar – Sheree Kharka – Tilicho Base Camp. But instead, we took a wrong exit at Manang, and went all the way to further Gunsang before realizing we were on wrong trail. If we were to continue this trail, it meant that we have to give up going to Tilicho Lake. Eventually, we made a super steep ascend to be back on track to Sheree Kharka. It took us almost 5-hours on this trail to reach Sheree Kharka, and we decided to call it for the day.

Note: Remember to refill your bottles and register at ACA checkpoint before leaving Manang.

Thinking back, we could have walked back to Manang, stay another night there and start the correct trail to Khangsar the following day.

Expenditures Breakdown:

Accommodation: Hotel Tilicho Peak & Restaurant (Free)

Breakfast:

Muesli with Milk: 300 NPR
Potato Soup: 300 NPR
Small pot of Hot water: 250 NPR

Dinner:

Chicken Noodle Soup: 355 NPR
Tomato Noodle Soup: 355 NPR
Hot Lemon: 100 NPR

Day 9: Sheree Kharka (4,076-meters) – Tilicho Base Camp (4,150-meters)

Many said this is the most dangerous part due to narrow steep path and common rocks fall/landslide. This is the reason why many trekkers gave Tilicho Lake a miss and continue to Thorong La Pass straight. It is highly recommended to do this trail early morning as chances of rocks falling is higher when the ground got heated up.

We deposited our backpack at the lodge in Sheree Kharka and only brought what is needed for 2 days. You don’t need to carry your full load since you will have to pass by Sheree Kharka on the way back. The trail to Tilicho Base Camp is 4.5-kilometres, took us about 2.5-hours.

Looking back at these photos, I can’t possibly imagine how we managed to cross this trail at that moment.